House panel votes to give Biden power to ban TikTok: 'spy balloon into their phone'

The House Foreign Affairs Committee voted to springiness President Biden nan powerfulness to prohibition TikTok, ramping up scrutiny of nan Chinese-owned video-sharing app. 

Lawmakers voted 24 to 16 on statement lines to assistance nan Biden management caller powerfulness to ban TikTok, and different apps deemed information risks. 

FILE: This photograph shows a TikTok app logo successful Tokyo connected Sept. 28, 2020.  (AP Photo/Kiichiro Sato / AP Newsroom)

GOP chair of nan committee Rep. Michael McCaul, Texas, who sponsored nan bill, assailed TikTok arsenic a "national information threat." 

"Anyone pinch TikTok downloaded connected their instrumentality has fixed nan [Communist Party of China] a backdoor to each their individual information," McCaul said. "It’s a spy balloon into their phone." 

CHINA MOCKS TIKTOK BAN ON US GOVERNMENT DEVICES, ASKS WHY ‘TOP SUPERPOWER’ FEARS ‘YOUNG PEOPLE APP’

It was not made clear really nan prohibition would beryllium enforced. The measure would springiness nan president nan powerfulness to prohibition immoderate transactions pinch TikTok, which, successful turn, would forestall anyone successful nan U.S. from downloading nan ByteDance-owned app connected their phones. 

Democrats reason nan bill, saying much owed diligence and statement connected its specifications is needed. Civil liberties organizations person based on that nan measure is unconstitutional.

Before heading to Biden's desk, nan measure still needs a level ballot by nan afloat House and nan Democratic-controlled Senate. 

Meanwhile, TikTok said Wednesday that each relationship held by a personification nether 18 will person a default 60-minute regular surface clip limit successful nan coming weeks. 

In nan U.S., families person struggled pinch limiting nan clip their children walk connected nan Chinese-owned video-sharing app. According to nan Pew Research Center, astir two-thirds of American teens usage TikTok.

FILE: A woman is holding her smartphone pinch nan logo of nan short video app TikTok successful her hands. (Jens Kalaene/picture confederation via Getty Images / Getty Images)

Outside of exorbitant usage by immoderate minors, location is increasing interest astir nan app worldwide. The European Parliament, nan European Commission, and nan EU Council person banned TikTok from being installed connected charismatic devices.

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That follows akin actions taken by nan U.S. national government, Congress, and much than half of nan 50 U.S. states. Canada has besides banned it from authorities devices.

FOX Business has reached retired TikTok and nan White House for comment. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.